Wednesday afternoon, the Hampton High School Lady Hornets visited the Eastside Lady Eagles to battle for the No. 3 seed in Region 4-AAAA before the state playoffs.

The first inning was a mixture of fast paced action and diligent defense by the Lady Eagles holding the Hampton Lady Hornets to nothing while scoring three runs to home.

In the top of the second the Lady Hornets stepped to bat and received three swift outs, but the lead pitcher for Eastside suffered an injury and was unable to return for the series.

In the bottom of the second inning, Eastside is at bat with Lana Henderson on the pitcher’s mound. Catlin Ray leads off for the Lady Eagles and hits a double for the first play. Brittany Medlin steps to bat and pops a fly ball straight into the glove of Christen Florence for the first out. After back-to-back walks, the bases were loaded, but before the Lady Eagles could score, Madison Hopper was tagged out ending the second inning.

Hampton takes to bat in the top of the third, Sierra Carnog hits a grounder that turns into a single. Taylor Reinert is swiftly and effectively struck out. Florence hits a ball deep center, for a single to put runners at the corners. Eastside got out of the inning safely with a ground out to go back up at-bat.

Eastside steps to bat; Madison McCrorey leads off, and is tagged out at first. The next batter walked and another was thrown out. After back-to-back walks the bases were loaded. The Lady Eagles would add one run to take a 4-0 lead heading into the top of the fourth inning.

In the top of the fourth, Kamiesha Washington led off for Hampton. Washington hits a deep ball that is caught by Medlin. Henderson is struck out. Olivia Watt hits a single to center, followed by a walk to put runners on first and second base. A ball to deep right field to be caught ending the top of the fourth, with the score unchanged.

Alexis DiBuccio and Hopper walked to begin the bottom of the fourth inning. McCrorey is caught out with two runners on. Coley Edwards hits a homerun to tally seven on the score board for Eastside to Hampton’s 0. After a series of outs, both teams headed into the top of the fifth with Eastside in complete control.

Through the fifth and sixth innings, neither team is able to score.

In the top of the seventh it was Hampton’s last chance to play for the win. The Lady Eagles weren’t going to let them have it and game one ended with Eastside winnin 7 to Hampton’s 0.

Game 2

In the top of the first with Ray leading Eastside off at-bat, she hit a single and McKenzie Walker came in to pinch run. After a caught fly ball, Walker and McKenzie “Taz” Powell are both tagged out ending the first inning with a blank score board.

Eastside ended the inning quickly with three consecutive outs, two of which were strikeouts by Ray.

With the scoreboard still at 0-0 and Eastside at-bat, Edwards is caught out on a fly ball. Washington beans one to first to get Bailey Stewart out. Powell takes first after a Hampton error. After another error, Powell was able to score. Ashleigh Williams is tagged out at first ending the top of the second.

Eastside kept Hampton scoreless through two innings. At the top of the third, Eastside was quick to load the bases. Edwards sent a shot to deep center to score two runs. Powell hit a grounder that scored another run. Eastside ended the inning up 4-0.

In the bottom of the third, Florence makes a swan dive at home to put Hampton on the board, after a couple stolen bases. Jordan Collins followed suite by stealing third, and then running home before the end of the inning to shorten Eastside’s lead to 4-2.

Ray, DiBuccio, Hopper and Edwards scored in the inning as Eastside scored five runs to take a commanding 9-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Hampton was held scoreless yet again as Eastside looked to go for the mercy-rule at the top of the fifth.

Showing no mercy, Eastside sent seven more runs across the plate to take a 16-2 lead and give the Lady Eagles’ defense a chance to put the game away in the bottom of the fifth.

Hampton added two runs before the game was over by mercy rule with Eastside winning 16-4.

Head coach Heather Wood of the Eastside Lady Eagles said after the game, “I’m proud of the girls this was an important series for us.”